Tag Archives: creative writing

I’m not late on this post….

420838710095906257_a873bb3665e9I’ve posted this EXACTLY when I meant to, which is exactly two months later than I should have posted this.

So I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus. My apologies. I’m back with a vengeance to share wondrous tales of freelance heroism, hardships and glory!

To begin my tale, I’ve just returned from a trip to New Orleans, whereby I encountered a psychic. Ok, a psychic and a huge amount of booze. But the psychic was the highlight.

As I sat down to have my palm read, the first thing he said to me, while pointing to a little y-shaped crease in my palm, was “I see you are a writer…” Holy telepathy, Batman! Get out of my head!

He followed with “…but you never write for yourself anymore. Only for others. Your writing is out of balance. If you find the time to write for you, the other writing will improve.” Cut to me falling out of my chair. (From shock. Not from booze. I know you were thinking it.)

Of all the things he said to me during my 15-minute palm reading, this stayed with me the most. And whether or not he can see into the future or can read into my soul via my palm, he was onto something. I never write for “me” anymore.

15-year-old me understood the balance: Finish your book report, and then spill your guts to your diary about that “B,” Stephanie, who tried to tell you that your perm looked like fried crap.

20-year-old me understood the balance: Finish your article for the college paper, and then blog about the importance of finding a mini skirt that does double-duty in hiding my new-found pizza gut.

Even 25-year-old me in journalism school understood the balance as I updated my MySpace status with deeply introspective thoughts on the new Rihanna single.

So why doesn’t 3[number deleted] -year-old me understand the balance? All work and no play makes Mandy dull.

So my advice to you, and to myself, is to make as much time for the fun, personal writing as you do for the clients.

Clients are wonderful. They pay the bills, but don’t let them have ALL of your creativity. Reserve some for yourself! Whether you blog beautiful advice to others, or scribble dirty limericks onto Post-it notes, don’t forget why we got into this mess in the first place – because before the clients came along, you simply loved to write. Cheers to that! *hic*

 

Amanda Smyth Connor is a social media manager for a major publishing company and has managed online communities and content development for many start-up and Fortune 500 companies.  She has been a professional writer/editor for more years than she can remember. You can find her at the bar, where most writers do their best work. 

 

 

 

Don’t Forget to Write (Creatively)

SignatureWhen I first started out as a freelance writer, my stories were mainly observational essays based upon things I’d witnessed or experienced in my travels. The story that opened the freelancing door for me was titled The Fox and the Foreigner, a humorous little anecdote about ordering a bowl of kitsune soba in an off-the-beaten-path noodle shop in Kyoto. Since then, my work has expanded to include interviews, film and book reviews, various forms of service journalism, and most recently, international recipes.

In a span of fifteen years, I’ve gone from: “The days were clear and polished, with enormous banks of snow-white cumulus clouds hovering on the horizon’s blue-purple hills.  At day’s end, in the long rays of the October sun, these cloud banks were transformed into glorious kaleidoscopes of color, soon to be subdued and soothed by the onset of twilight, sparked by the twinkle of the evening star.”

To: “In this age of global connectivity, telecommuting is a rapidly-growing option for businesses of all types and sizes. Some companies allow their staff to telecommute on certain days of the week, and work on-site the rest of the time. Others, especially web-based businesses, may operate with a staff comprised mainly of telecommuting employees. Although telecommuting has its pros and cons, it’s certainly worth considering whether it is a good idea for your business. So take a look at your staff and ask yourself how many of them could be working from home.”

And now: “Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté quickly. Add shrimp and sauté until just pink. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes, scallions and herbs and continue simmering for about 5 minutes, until tomatoes are just tender and sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and gently stir in feta cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 4.”

Regardless of its subject and content, freelance writing pays the bills; and for that, I am endlessly grateful. But lately, I find myself longing to return to my flowing narratives, creative imagery, engaging dialogue, and pithy conclusions. The only cure for that…is to tell a story. And I think I know just the story I want to tell.

CelesteHeiterFZBioCeleste Heiter is the author of Turn Your PC into a Lean Mean Freelancing Machine, the creator of the LoveBites Cookbook Series for Kindle Fire, and the author of Potty Pals , a potty-training book for children. She has also written ten books published by ThingsAsian Press; and spent eight years posting her recipes, food photographs, and film reviews on ChopstickCinema .

Visit her website, and her Amazon Author Page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hotel Providence: Travel Photography & Creative Writing Courses

Have you always wanted to become a travel writer? If the answer to that question is yes, one component of the journey you may want to focus on is travel photography. Being able to take your own pictures to accompany an article not only makes you a more valuable writer in the eyes of an editor, but it can net you extra income as well.

Today we have with us Tricia Carter, the workshop facilitator for the Hotel Providence’s newest course offering–Travel Photography. She’s going to elaborate a bit on the workshop and another upcoming event at the hotel.

Can you tell Freelance-Zone readers a bit about your travel photography course and what type of person it is designed for? 

This is a photography course designed for complete beginners through intermediates who would like to refresh their previous photographic knowledge. The workshop will provide a good technical foundation along with the fundamentals of composition to dramatically improve your images. You will learn to see what makes some images memorable, while others simply are not. With this new mystery of your camera Robyn will teach you how to apply your new photographic techniques creatively to capture those perfect travel photographs.

Who is the person that will be teaching the session and what is their background in travel photography? 

Robyn Rowles, owner of Robynrowlesphotography.com and Artist in You art studio, has traveled all over the world as a professional studio and freelance photographer.  Robyn owned and exhibited in various distinguished galleries internationally. Recently she turned her attention to North America and is in the process of developing a photography book chronically the rural Southern United States travels capturing the strength, beauty and simplicity of its many diverse cultures.

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What are some of the things that people will learn during the course?

Alongside your like-minded peers, in a nurturing and supportive environment, you will discover your personal aesthetic and apply your new eye and skills to capture a moment, a sense of place, and a true cultural portrait. You will learn how angles, lighting, and other techniques can unearth the beauty in uncommon places.

Can you tell readers what the cost is for this course and what is included for that price?

$389.00 Single Occupancy

The cost for the $389.00 for single occupancy and $544.00 for double occupancy. These rates include:

  • Overnight accommodations in our Superior Rooms
  • 2 days of expert instruction by Robyn Rowles
  • Lunch and Dinner on Saturday
  • Breakfast on Sunday
  • Overnight Valet Parking
    * optional keepsake book of your photographs for an additional $75.00

Our local rate is $180.00. This excludes overnight room and breakfast.

You also have a Creative Writing course coming up—can you tell readers a bit about that as well?

Our first creative writing course, As The Plot Thickens….Developing Your Novel, was so well-received we thought that it was only natural to try it again! Our next workshop will be centered on writing children’s literature. We are grateful to have Brown University instructor and author, Joanna Howard involved again, so the caliber of the workshop will be excellent.